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Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century.
The word pafta is of Turkic origin-possibly entering the language via Iranian influence-derived from the Persian word bafta, meaning "woven," which evolved in Turkish to signify "plate." Today, the term is used in nearly identical forms in Romanian (pafta), Bulgarian (пафта), Serbian (пафте), and some Aromanian dialects (pafta), designating functional and ornamental clothing accessories used to fasten belts, girdles, or sashes, crafted from various materials and decorated using different techniques.
The three buckles decorated in the polychrome enamel technique, preserved in the collection of the National Museum of History of Moldova, belong to the South-Danubian tradition and are dated to the late 19th - early 20th century.

Each buckle consists of two identical trapezoidal parts, their surfaces divided into three roughly equal registers, adorned with stylized vegetal motifs forming a metal lattice into which enamel is poured. The two parts extend into sharp angles at the ends, forming a triangle with the edge of the last decorative register, similarly ornamented. The enamel used to fill the floral motifs is black, turquoise, white, orange, green, yellow, and burgundy. The entire decorative field is framed by a beaded border.

On the reverse, both components retain a copper band riveted along the edge, used to fasten the ends of the belt. The fastening system, made by interlocking the hinges of the two parts and secured with a movable pin attached by a chain to a clasp fixed on one of the buckle pieces, is concealed by a rectangular plate (riveted with three pins to the body of the piece), with narrow edges ending in sharp angles, decorated in the same style and technique. Additionally, it features three circular settings with notched edges bent inward to hold centrally placed red and green glass paste. These settings are framed by a radiant, notched band.

The symbolism of the color palette encodes meanings and symbols, chosen for their believed magical powers. Red has always represented love, affection, and protection against curses and the evil eye; white symbolizes purity and spiritual and physical cleanliness; blue is symbolically associated with infinity, morning, new beginnings, and transformation; green represents destiny, hope, prosperity, balance, and rebirth, being linked to nature's revival each spring and to life itself.

Virtual Tour


Exhibitions

"A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța"

May 18 – June 30, 2024

The Constanța National History and Archeology Museum, in partnership with the National History Museum of Moldova in Chisinau, Republic of Moldova, organizes on Saturday, May 18, 2024, 1:00 p.m., at the headquarters of the National History Museum of Moldova, the opening of the temporary exhibition: A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanța.

The cultural event was prepared by the specialists of the Constanța National History and Archeology Museum: Dr. Sorin Marcel Colesniuc, Dr. Aurel Mototolea, Dr. Tiberiu Potârniche, Dr. Delia Cornea, Dr. Cristian Cealera, Dr. Lavinia Dumitrașcu and Eng. Ada Marcu, in collaboration with the specialists of the National History Museum of Moldova: dr.hab. Eugen Sava and Dr. Livia Ermurachi.

As the title suggests, the temporary exhibition A history of the oldest inhabited city in Romania - Constanta presents, on 30 panels, the history of the city of Constanta, from its foundation to the present day. The panels were organized as follows: In the beginning was the legend; Greek colonization and the Tomis war; The beginnings of Roman rule; The exile of the poet Publius Ovidius Naso to Tomis; Amphitheater, wrestling and gladiators at Tomis; Tomis - the capital of the province of Scythia Minor; The emergence and development of Christianity in the light of archaeological evidence; From Tomi to Constantiana; Küstenge - Constanta. 1800 - 1870; Ottoman Constanta. Religious architecture - mosques and windows; Ottoman Constanta. Secular architecture - Casa Beiului; Constance English; The port in the life of the city - Antiquity; The port in the life of the city - the Ottoman period; The port in the life of the city - innovation and modernity; Royal Constance (2 panels); The city of Constanța and the people of Constanta in the First World War; The general plan of the city of Constanța in the interwar period; Walking through interwar Constanța (3 panels); Constanța - city beaches; Personalities of Constanta; Constanța under the bombings of the Second World War; Constanța - aspects of the urban development in the period 1948 - 1989; The Constanta Museum - emblematic institution of our city; The treasury of sculptures from Tomis; From the collections of the Constanta museum (2 panels).

On behalf of the Museum of National History and Archeology Constanta, scientific researcher Dr. Sorin Marcel Colesniuc will be present at the opening of the temporary exhibition in Chisinau, who will present the work of the team of specialists of the Constanta museum, as well as the history of the city of Constanta from Antiquity to Contemporary .


 




Independent Moldova
Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic
Bessarabia and MASSR between the Two World Wars
Bessarabia and Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in the Period between the Two World Wars
Revival of National Movement
Time of Reforms and their Consequences
Abolition of Autonomy. Bessarabia – a New Tsarist Colony
Period of Relative Autonomy of Bessarabia within the Russian Empire
Phanariot Regime
Golden Age of the Romanian Culture
Struggle for Maintaining of Independence of Moldova
Formation of Independent Medieval State of Moldova
Era of the
Great Nomad Migrations
Early Middle Ages
Iron Age and Antiquity
Bronze Age
Aeneolithic Age
Neolithic Age
Palaeolithic Age
  
  

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#Exhibit of the Month

Buckles (paftale) are an almost indispensable element of traditional women's dress in the Southeastern European area, particularly in the Balkans, and have been in use over a long period, from the 14th to the 20th century....

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

 



The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC

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The National Museum of History of Moldova takes place among the most significant museum institutions of the Republic of Moldova, in terms of both its collection and scientific reputation.
©2006-2025 National Museum of History of Moldova
Visit museum 31 August 1989 St., 121 A, MD 2012, Chisinau, Republic of Moldova
Phones:
Secretariat: +373 (22) 24-43-25
Department of Public Relations and Museum Education: +373 (22) 24-04-26
Fax: +373 (22) 24-43-69
E-mail: office@nationalmuseum.md
Technical Support: info@nationalmuseum.md
Web site administration and maintenance: Andrei EMILCIUC